DAYTRIPPIN’ WITH CAi SEPULIS

A PARTNER AT TOQUE SHARING HER FAVOURITE STOPS JUST BEYOND THE REGION.

CAI SEPULIS

TOQUE MAGAZINE

When Cai isn’t working on the magazine, she’s often off adventuring and exploring the region with her wife Sonia. Getting to and from the trailheads and access points often involves passing through some quaint communities, stopping in for a coffee, and finding new gems along the way. Here are a few stops that are slightly out of our region but often worth a little daytrip to visit on their own.

BACK ROAD MOTOR COFFEE CO.

133 QUEEN ST E, PORT CREDIT

ANNA MAE’S BAKERY & RESTAURANT

4060 PERTH COUNTY LINE 72 MILLBANK 1. Situated on a quiet old industrial side street near the bustling intersection of Lakeshore Boulevard and Hurontario Street, this little coffee roaster, besides serving up amazing Americanos and beans to-go (including specialty barrelaged single origin beans), carries an incredible collection of moto-themed swag. It’s a great place for taking a breather with a warm brew on their patio before continuing on, or for grabbing a cup to-go and taking a stroll on the shores of Lake Ontario.

2. This popular bakery and restaurant is just meters from the Guelph to Goderich Rail Trail, which makes it a convenient lunch stop or turn-around point after biking in twenty-five kilometres along the trail from Elmira. The Mennonite-owned shop has a huge following and always seems busy despite its being located in the tiny hamlet of Millbank. Their soughtafter baked goods as well as their renowned ‘broasted’ chicken – and idyllic country setting – attract diners and picnic-ers from around the region, not to mention the place's catching the eye of the Food Network and being featured on the show ‘You Gotta Eat Here’.

3. Nestled in the village of Belfountain where the beautiful rolling hills and scenic Forks of the Credit Road begins, this little cafe and espresso bar is one of our favourite spots to visit on a drive, especially in the fall or winter. With espressos and breakfast sandwiches – and Adirondack chairs on the patio – kicking back here with the river and hills behind us conjures up memories of quaint cafés in the foothills of BC. On the weekend the café is a popular rendezvous spot for road cyclists and it’s not uncommon to see Higher Ground’s spacious patio packed with cyclists sipping espressos and sizing up each other’s rigs (and calves) before hitting the road again.

HIGHER GROUND CAFÉ

17277 OLD MAIN ST, BELFOUNTAIN

AVLING KITCHEN AND BREWERY

1042 QUEEN ST E, TORONTO

TAQUERIA EL NORTE

29 PARIS ST, ALLISTON

DILLON’S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS

4833 TUFFORD RD, BEAMSVILLE 4. Lately we can’t get enough of this restaurant and brewery, and most of our visits into Toronto include a trip to Leslieville to visit Avling. With a modern and airy interior, this brewery feels so bright and welcoming. The menu includes seasonal offerings such as winter radishes with dip and roasted cauliflower – as well as featuring one of the best cheeseburgers in the region. Along with a commitment to supporting local growers and independent food chains, Avling also has an impressive four thousand square foot rooftop garden where they grow their own herbs and produce – and their brewhouse’s roster includes ‘ninety nine percent Ontario’ beers where nearly all ingredients are sourced in the province. If it weren’t for the streetcars passing by, it would be hard to believe that this place is in the big city and not out in Prince Edward County.

5. It’s worth taking the backroads up to Muskoka when you can stop in at this hip and colourful joint in Alliston for some street-style Mexican cuisine. Given the rotating menu based on fresh and available ingredients, you never know what you’re going to get – and we love their tacos. Some of our favourites have included the mouth-watering Carne Asada (cast iron roasted flat iron steak, guac, cremini mushrooms, queso fresco, chipotle aioli & pickled jalapenos) and savoury Carnitas (pork shoulder braised in citrus juice, served with cilantro, Spanish onion, and salsa verde). And don’t forget to grab a bag of house-made tortilla chips for the road.

6. A trip to Niagara wouldn’t be complete without a stop into Dillon’s – located at the edge of wine country – to restock our home bar and purchase gifts. We’ve always been fans of Dillon’s Rose Gin, and a visit to their sipping room is a gin and cocktail lover’s paradise. And you quickly realize they offer so much more: cherry gin, dry gin, plum gin, strawberry gin, rhubarb gin, and special one-offs such as pineapple honey or cucumber gin. And if gin isn’t your thing, they also make a whole array of spirits including vodkas, rye whiskey, and a complete rainbow of bitters for an endless array of cocktail combinations to entertain any of even your most discerning house guests.